A Nap
by W.H. Woolhat
Summary: Remus wonders why Tonks loves him, and a comfortable evening on the couch ensues.


**A Nap**

**Author's Note**: This is a short story based on this painting by caladandd. I've never written any R/T outside of RPGs, even though I _love _it as a pairing, so here's my attempt.

In the quiet, musty living room of 12 Grimmauld Place, Remus Lupin sat on the couch, trying to concentrate on the book in his hands. It was a good book, a mystery, but just now the story wasn't keeping his attention.

He had been at the house for several days now, holding down the fort while a group from the Order was out on a scouting mission. Normally he would have been able to handle such a task with no problem, but this time things were proving to be awkward because Tonks was in the house with him.

The two of them were a couple now, of course, and everyone knew it. Deep in his heart, Remus knew that he wouldn't have it any other way, but sometimes, like now, he still had his doubts.

Tonks was a wonderful girl. She was beautiful, upbeat, kind, and just a little awkward. Remus could always tell when she was around, because people tended to be happy in her presence. Being around her made him happy, too, which was a rare and precious thing these days. But no matter how much Tonks said she cared about him, that he was the only man she could ever imagine wanting to be with, Remus had to wonder. What was the attraction? When had greying hair and world-weariness become turn-ons?

There were so many things in the world that Tonks hadn't yet experienced, some that Remus hoped she never would have to, and sometimes he felt certain that, by staying with him, Tonks would be robbing herself of the kind of life she deserved. On the other hand, Molly Weasley insisted that Remus and Tonks belonged together, and had made it a habit to tell Remus every time she saw him that he had something wonderful and that it was time to stop denying himself and let things happen.

As if in response to this thought, a door closed on the floor above and Tonks came thundering down the stairs, all pink hair, bright colors, and smiles. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders in an attempt to ward off the chill that lingered in the house despite the fact that it was late June. Spying Remus sitting on the couch, she came over and settled herself at the opposite end, sprawling comfortably.

"Wotcher, Remus," she said with a smile. "What're you reading?"

"A mystery," Remus replied. He suppressed a sigh and stuck a slip of parchment in the book to mark his place before setting it aside.

"Ooh, sounds exciting," Tonks laughed. "Sort of like us, the Order. We're all in a sort of mystery now."

There was a kind of sad amusement in her tone, as if she was trying to lighten the dismal mood that had descended on all the members of the Order after Dumbledore's death. Remus knew that, despite her usual upbeat attitude, Tonks felt the unhappiness, too. He envied her many attempts to rise above it, and was always amazed by the way she often managed to lift everyone else up with her.

Suddenly, Tonks yawned, stretching her arms over her head and squeezing her eyes shut.

"Gosh, I'm tired," she said when the yawn abated. Remus couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"Aren't we all?" he said.

"Well, you definitely are. What we need," Tonks declared, stretching out as much as she could, "is a nap." When Remus didn't move, she poked his leg with the toe of her shoe. "Come on, lay down. You need sleep."

"I'm not sure that's such a good—" Remus began, but Tonks cut him off with a laugh.

"You don't have to be embarrassed. We're the only ones in the house. It's not like anybody's going to see us." Tonks waggled her eyebrows, which were just as pink as her hair, and Remus relented. He was rather tired. He pulled off his shoes and laid down, a little awkwardly, next to Tonks. Being so close to another person wasn't a position he was used to.

Tonks arranged the blanket so that it was covering both of them, and shifted a little until Remus's head was on her shoulder.

"Comfortable?" she asked him.

"Yes," Remus admitted.

"Good," Tonks smiled. She put an arm around Remus and stroked his hair gently. They lay there in silence for a while, and Tonks was beginning to get drowsy when Remus said her name.

"Mmm?" she murmured sleepily.

"What do you see in me?"

"What?" Tonks asked, a little more awake now.

"What do you see in me?" Remus repeated, looking up at Tonks with worry in his eyes. "What is it about me that you can't find in someone else?"

Tonks rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated chuckle.

"We're not going to do this again, are we?" she asked. "Why can't you just accept it when I tell you that I love you?"

"Because…," Remus hesitated, unsure of whether or not he should be honest.

"You can tell me," Tonks assured him gently.

"Well, to be honest, nobody outside of my mother has ever told me that they love me," Remus replied, realizing as he said it just how much this fact had bothered him over the years. "And it's very rare that I even like myself, so it's hard for me to understand how someone else—how you—could find something about me to love."

Tonks was quiet for a moment, thinking about this, her fingers still stroking Remus's hair. Eventually, she said,

"There's a lot about you that I love. You're intelligent, you take the time to think about things when nobody else will, you're kind, and you're level-headed. You're my rock, and besides," she added with a grin, "you're handsome."

Remus laughed. "_I'm _handsome?"

"Very handsome," Tonks nodded.

"That's something, coming from you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"As far as I can see, you're perfect," Remus replied. "You're caring, you're upbeat, you're gentle, you're beautiful—"

"Hold on a minute, are you describing the right Tonks?" Tonks asked, laughing. "That certainly doesn't sound like me."

"Well, that's what you are to me," Remus assured her. He was beginning to feel more comfortable lying next to her, and the rhythm of her fingers over his hair was making him sleepy.

"You see, I didn't know that's how you felt," Tonks said. "We should talk more."

"I don't talk a lot," Remus murmured.

"I know, but you don't have to be afraid to talk to me," Tonks stopped stroking Remus's hair and squeezed his shoulders in a tight hug. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Everyone I cared about died," Remus whispered, his voice suddenly choked with emotion. Tonks looked down at him in sympathy, knowing that he was thinking of James and Sirius, and probably Dumbledore, as well.

"It's not going to be that way with us," she assured him quietly. "I'm always going to be here."

"How can you be sure?" Remus asked, meeting her gaze with damp eyes. Tonks leaned forward and kissed his forehead softly.

"I just know," she whispered. "We have each other, and we don't have to be afraid."

Hearing this, Remus knew that it was true. The world may be in darkness, but for the moment, he didn't have to worry. He was in Tonks' arms, he was comfortable, and sleep was creeping in on him.

"Tonks," he murmured as his eyelids began to grow heavy.

"Hmm?"

"I love you, too."

Tonks smiled. She pushed Remus's hair gently off his forehead before laying back and closing her eyes. Then all was quiet in Grimmauld Place as the two of them slept, peaceful with the knowledge that each was lying next to the person they loved most in the world.

THE END


End file.
